Taste of Westport is back and is being held at the Westport Inn from 6-9:30 on May 5. Some new as well as some tried and true local restaurants will have plenty of food for tasting, there will be freshly shucked oysters, desserts, and plenty to drink like wine and cocktails. While you’re wining and dining the night away check out the reggae vibe of Beto Petrillo and Rob Russo and the jazzed up duo of Matt Criscuolo and Tony Purrone. There will also be auction items like tickets to see Billy Joel, The Daily Show, pearl necklaces, dinner at Michael Jordan’s steakhouse, and more. Tickets are $75 if you buy them online or $85 at the door with profits going towards CLASP Homes of Westport.

Bites and Drinks Include

Acqua

Beaver Beer

Bianco Rosso

Bobby Q’s Bodacious BBQ & Grill

The Cottage

DaPietro’s

Garelick & Herbs

Greens Farms Spirit Shop

Harvest

Little Barn

Matsu Sushi

Mionetto

Rive Bistro

Le Rouge

Rothbard Ale + Larder

Tarantino Restaurant

Washington Prime

CLASP is a 34 year old organization providing homes and opportunities for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Its programs foster independence, dignity and continued growth for its clients at its 21 residences in seven area communities. CLASP collaborates with area businesses to match the capabilities of its clients with the needs of these companies.

Now in its third year, Fairfield County Giving Day has quickly become a major source of funding for local non-profits. Last year, alone, $1,066,091 was donated by 13,161 people for 386 non-profits. This year’s Fairfield County Giving Day is March 10 and we’ll have more on that soon, as we are one of the partners in this great endeavor.Continue reading →

Marla is the winner, but keep an eye out in your e-mail boxes because there might be a special deal waiting for some of you!

Every year we look forward to a massive event that helps us get through winter. No, we’re not talking about football: we’re talking about the Chocolate, Dessert & Wine Lover’s Evening! This year is the 8th year . . . and it will definitely prove to be even better than the rest!

The action is going down on February 4 from 6-9 at the Stamford Marriot Hotel & Spa with all proceeds going directly to Shelter for the Homeless. There will be over 70 different dessert, chocolate, food, and adult drink vendors on hand to help ya warm up. In addition, there will be entertainment and tips from host Chef Plum, music, a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, and even chances to shop for Valentine’s Day gifts for your precious little love. Tickets are $45 per person or $80 if you buy them in pairs: perfect for a Valentine’s Day treat.Continue reading →

Jeff Roberts, the man behind the burgeoning Facebook group (over 300 members) Craft Beer Enthusiast Union, has organized a beer event to satisfy all the beer geeks out there: Funk Fest 2015. Jeff joked around, saying that you don’t want to be the person who is looking at Untappdcheckins and feel all left out. So, instead, go treat yo’self and get down to The Outer Space in Hamden on 11/22 at 3 PM for a benefit to go down in the history books for The Hole in the Wall Gang. Tickets are $85, can be purchased now, and are selling out with only 20 left.Continue reading →

The Stamford Chili Cookoff is looking for cooks and chefs who have mastered the art of chili. If you think you’ve got that killer recipe that will help you take home first prize, then contact Joe Gonzalez and let him know you’re in it to win it!

For the rest of you who just want to taste their chili and vote on your favorite, let this be a save the date! The event goes down on November 1 from 11-3 at the beautiful Stamford Museum and Nature Center. More details on the way . . . but we can say that this is a great event that not only warms your body, but also your heart as you’re helping to raise money for The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.

Delivery.com(see our review here) is a pretty cool service that we use from time to time when we’re feeling lazy or just have a ton to do and can’t cook. We’re very happy to share that they are working together with (RED) in the Eat (RED) Drink (RED) Save Lives campaign that started yesterday and goes until the end of June. For every delivery order placed on their site, they’ll donate .40, up to $25,000. That .40 per order might not seem like much at all, but that’s what it costs each day to provide essential medication for an HIV-positive person.

Do you know what the great thing about chili is? It’s perfect any ‘ol time of year! By itself, on top of a burger, on top of a hot dog, on a breakfast sandwich: it’s a meal and it’s a condiment at the same exact time. And, what better way to show some respect and reverence to chili then hold a contest called The Charity Chili Challenge? Now approaching its second year in existence, this contest sponsored by the Exchange Clubs of North Stamford, Stamford, and Norwalk pits amateurs and professional cooks against each other.

Chef Carlos Baez is the man behind The Spread in SoNo. We think he has what it takes to take home Best in Show, how about you?

The highly-anticipated Taste of Westportreturns for its 11th year in a row this May 7 right at The Westport Inn. This year they’ll be opening up the doors a bit earlier than usual at 6 for a special VIP pre-party with Neil Fuentes, Executive Chef at Jojoto in Branford. This “Intimate Affair” is perfect for any food lover because Chef Fuentes will not only give cooking demos, but will also give attendees a taste of the food and a taste of his band as they perform. VIPs also will get an early shot at trying all the food that’s around and can even put in bids for some of the great silent auction items . . . more on that below. Tickets for the pre-party are $95.

Save the date, fellow foodophiles: May 7 from 6-9 pm at The Loading Dock in Stamford.

That’s when Food for Allgoes down and this year is destined to be even more amazing than the previous years with not only an amazing assortment of new restaurants, and great cocktails being mixed up, but there will also be a Dessert Cafe to sweeten the deal. Tickets are $75 per person or cost $60 if you buy six or more tickets.

A library isn’t just a home for books and magazines, though many people see them this way. No, a library is a gathering place, a resource, a place to learn new skills, experience new things, and to feel like a part of the community. And, nowhere is this more true than at The Ferguson Library in Stamford where there are always a ton of things going on like book talks, Meet the Author nights, children’s events, fairs, festivals, and special events.

Speaking of special events: The Ferguson Library is about ready to start the next chapter of a successful year with their annual A Novel Affair event. Tickets for the 4/9 event from 5:30-8:30 are $125 and can be bought here. This is actually our third time going and we’re very proud to be one of the media sponsors this year, too.